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Is imaging reality?

I’m thrilled that I finally reached the point in my quest where instruments are spread across my listening field like a virtual “thousand points of light.”  I would never want to go back to the dark ages of mediocre imaging, But as a former classical musician, the thought occurs to me, is this what I hear at a concert, even sitting in the first row?  What we’re hearing is the perspective of where the microphones are placed, generally right on top of the musicians.  So close that directionality is very perceptible, unlike what we hear in the hall. The quality of our systems accurately reproduces this perspective wonderfully. 
But is it this as it is in the real world?
128x128rvpiano
rvpiano's avatar
rvpiano OP
2,659 posts
 
In my post, I should  have mentioned that I’m mainly talking about the reproduction of an orchestra in a concert hall.
n80
2,116 posts
 
No, nothing that is recorded and reproduced is the same as the real thing. This is even more true, in my opinion, with rock and pop where the result or what you hear is purposefully manipulated in a studio.

But for me that makes no difference whatsoever. If the production quality is good and the SQ is good and the sound stage is pleasing who cares how it got that way? The concept of reality, in that regard, is a false economy.


I'd much rather listen to high production value music that sounds good than a poor recording of what someone deems a 'real' and 'live' performance.

I love attending live performances by the way. Classical and rock and jazz or whatever.
fuzztone's avatar
fuzztone
5,607 posts
 
No. Why care?
I think both environments are complimentary like attending a football game and watching a tele of one on a large screen.
I saw Bernstein's Mass live. The TV broadcast was just as great.
Different.
Jus not "God damn good"
Censorship.
Sometimes you gotta be there.
twoleftears's avatar
twoleftears
5,318 posts
 
No, but just sit back and enjoy it, because what you hear in a symphony hall is not reproducible in any room by any system.
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
Its hard to be certain what exactly you're talking about. If you mean is imaging reality, as in is it some real thing we are able to hear then the answer is of course yes. Close your eyes, you can tell perfectly well where things are just by sound alone. 

Anything other than that and now you're talking recording technique. Minimalist recording- two microphones, two channels - when recorded and played back properly can recreate imaging really well. The XLO Test CD has a track recorded like this and its uncanny how real this will sound when your system is set up right. 

Other than that most recordings mix in extra tracks that are then used to place instruments where they want them. These kinds of recordings are all over the map in terms of what they are trying to achieve. They are art. Sonic masterpieces. Would you look at a Picasso and say, uh, did that woman really have two of those over there like that? I don't think so. Then again, with Picasso, that would be the least of your problems.
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